Tread Connection International

Tread Connection International was founded in 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina, by brothers Paul and Alex Hosage. Paul brought years of traditional automotive retail tire experience, including four years managing one of the largest independent, nationally known retail tire franchises in the country. The brothers built the concept around bringing tire service to customers, avoiding the overhead of a fixed retail location, and scheduling service around the customer. The company began franchising in 2018 from 8521 Crown Crescent Ct., Charlotte, NC 28277. It currently has 4 franchised units, all franchisee owned, with zero company owned locations. Expansion is focused exclusively on the United States across dozens of eligible states. Tread Connection International operates in the mobile automotive services category, which is growing faster than the traditional shop based model.

The global automotive repair and maintenance market ranges from USD 773 billion to over USD 940 billion, depending on methodology and base year. Projections include USD 1.13 trillion by 2035 at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 4.34 percent, and as much as USD 2.24 trillion by 2032 at a CAGR of 10.10 percent. In 2025, the market was estimated at USD 1.0 trillion and was expected to reach USD 2.0 trillion by 2034. Aging vehicles account for approximately 65 percent of repair and maintenance demand. Global vehicle ownership surpassed 1.4 billion units in 2024, with over 120 million new cars added annually. Tires represented 36.10 percent of automotive repair and maintenance service market share in 2025, while U.S. tire demand is forecast to grow at a CAGR of over 5 percent. Approximately 55 percent of serviced vehicles require tire or brake replacement. Mobile and on demand automotive services are growing at a 6.11 percent CAGR from 2026 to 2031, and over 43 percent of automotive repair and maintenance businesses are forecast to introduce mobile repair services by 2030. Independent garages held a 55 percent market share in 2024. Consumer demand for mobile auto services grew 27 percent, digital service platforms grew 40 percent, and customers increasingly value convenience, online booking, and service at their location.

The initial franchise fee is $37,500. Comparable mobile service franchise fees typically range from $25,000 to $50,000. Veterans receive either $5,000 off the franchise fee or a 10 percent reduction, bringing the fee to $33,750. Total initial investment ranges from $164,200 to $203,400, while some sources cite a broader range of $62,500 to $165,000. Costs vary with vehicle outfitting, equipment, inventory, licenses, working capital, territory size, and market conditions. The mobile model avoids a commercial lease, retail build out, and utility infrastructure. Minimum liquid capital is $70,000, and the net worth requirement is $150,000. Ongoing royalty is $50 per van per week, rather than a percentage of revenue. The advertising fund fee is $50. SBA loan eligibility can vary for mobile service franchises with low fixed asset requirements, so prospective buyers should confirm current qualification requirements with an SBA certified lender during due diligence.

Operations center on a mobile tire van equipped for tire mounting, balancing, and installation at a home, office, or fleet yard. Services include tire sales, installation, and repair. Target hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM. Customers include corporate accounts, fleet operators, retail consumers, and auto enthusiasts. No prior automotive or mechanical experience is required. Training includes one full week at the Charlotte, North Carolina headquarters followed by three days at the franchisee's territory. Topics include technical tire installation, safety, equipment operation certification, inventory management, CRM and scheduling software, sales, customer service, fleet sales, and tire wholesale account setup. Support includes phone and video access to the corporate team, Google and SEO marketing tools, point of sale and payment setup, website and ecommerce support, and strategic marketing programs. Territories are protected, and the model supports owner operators and semi absentee investors. Franchisees can grow from one vehicle to multiple units by adding vehicles, technicians, and service capacity. Multi area incentives are available.

Compared with investment of $164,200 to $203,400, that figure implies a revenue to investment ratio of approximately 1.6x to 2.0x. A single van producing $326,770 annually would incur $2,600 in yearly royalty costs, based on $50 per week multiplied by 52 weeks, plus an advertising fund contribution of $2,600 annually. Vehicle operating expenses and tire wholesale inventory costs would also affect margins. This fixed royalty differs from a 6 to 8 percent royalty model at the same revenue level.

The system has maintained a relatively small footprint of 4 to 5 units during its growth phase. Since franchising began in 2018, it has approximately seven years of franchised operating history through 2025. In August 2021, Tread Connection partnered with Tirebuyer to create TREADSY Mobile Solutions. The collaboration was designed to secure exclusive territories and connect the Tread Connection network with Tirebuyer's technology platform and preferred territory access. Around late 2022 or early 2023, the business was reportedly acquired from the Sepasian family. Chris Brown was identified as CEO in December 2022, while co founder Paul Hosage was identified as President in August 2021. The mobile and on demand automotive services segment is growing at a 6.11 percent CAGR. AI enabled diagnostics adoption across the broader automotive services sector has reached 33 percent, alongside 40 percent growth in digital service platforms.

The preferred franchisee is an entrepreneurial operator who can develop retail accounts and direct fleet relationships. Automotive or mechanical experience is preferred but not required, since training is intended to build technical skills from a starting point of no industry experience. Multi unit investors are encouraged through the multi area incentive program. Semi absentee operation is supported as the business grows beyond one van, although early operators should expect personal involvement in sales, customer service, and route management. Available states include AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WV, and WY. Fleet dense areas such as logistics corridors, suburban office park clusters, and municipal fleet operations may support recurring demand alongside retail customers.

PeerSense offers SBA lending history, Loan Activity Scores, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools for evaluating Tread Connection International against other mobile automotive service concepts. Its Tread Connection International Loan Activity Score of 27 carries a Limited rating, which PeerSense defines as a brand still building its track record. Prospective buyers can use that rating to focus validation questions during their review.